Volunteers and Donations

Would you Like to help Anam Cara?

Sadly most people in Ireland personally know someone who has experienced the tragic death of a child/adult child and have witnessed the devastation and heartache. It is often difficult to know how best we can help our bereaved family member or friend. We are currently looking for volunteers to help Anam Cara throughout the year.

How could I help?

Could you organise a bag pack in your local supermarket for Anam Cara throughout 2018? Anam Cara can supply t.shirts and collection boxes and help you source volunteers in your area!

Would you consider asking your local shops or pharmacy to take an Anam Cara Collection box and the Anam Cara pins for the month of November?

Have you a special skill for fundraising, social media, marketing/PR, website development that would help Anam Cara promote our support services in your area?

Would you help us raise awareness of Anam Cara Services during our National Awareness Campaign in November 2018?

As Anam Cara does not receive any state funding, we rely on local fundraising and donations to cover the costs of providing our online and face to face services. If you think you could help us in 2016 please contact us on 087 9637790 or 01 4045278, alternatively email us at info@anamcara.ie.

Anam Cara Support Groups

Bereaved Parents Helping Bereaved Parents

‘Sometimes when we reach out to help others on this very difficult journey through grief and loss, we also help ourselves, that is the very essence of Anam Cara…’

Anam Cara facilitates parent evening at each of the Anam Cara groups from September to June each year.

These evenings are facilitated by a Professional Facilitator with the support of our Anam Cara Volunteer Parents. Volunteer parents are a little further on in their journey after the death of their child. They really do understand the intensity the grief having been in that place. However being a little further on their journey can give newly bereaved parents the hope they too will be able to cope and survive their intense grief.

The focus of Anam Cara Parent evenings are to provide a safe and comfortable place where Mothers and fathers can connect with other parents who have experienced the death of their child.

The Anam Cara groups meet at the same venue each month from September to June each year. The usual times for the parents evening is 7.30pm – 9pm. At each group there is an lending library and relevant information leaflets about other support services and resources in the area.

Current Anam Cara Support Groups

Galway – Clayton Hotel, Ballybrit, Galway

Cork – Clayton Silver Springs Hotel, Cork City

West Cork – Martime Hotel, Bantry, West Cork

Dublin South – Maldron Hotel, Tallaght Bypass, Dublin 24

Dublin North – The Carnergie Court Hotel, Swords, CO. Dublin

Kerry – Recovery Haven Centre, Tralee, Co Kerry

Tipperary – Horse and Jockey Hotel- Thurles, Co Tipperary

Mayo – The Family Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

Northern Ireland – Armagh City Hotel – Armagh, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland – Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast

Donegal – Radisson Blu Hotel, Letterkenny, Donegal

Wicklow – The Parkview Hotel, Newtownmountkennedy

Anam Cara also facilitates joint events with Milford Care Centre in Limerick to ensure bereaved parents can attend Bereavement Information Evenings in the Limerick area. Anam Cara also works with Solas Centre in Waterford to provide support to bereaved parents in the South East. In Northern Ireland Anam Cara and the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice partner together to provide additional Bereavement Information evenings

Is this for me?

If you are considering this volunteer role at Anam Cara, we would recommend you are 2 years on your journey after the death of your son or daughter. Contact us and we can send you on more details.

Before You Start!

Attend a Parent Evening at your nearest Anam Cara group. We can also arrange for you to talk to another Anam Cara Volunteer about the role. We will facilitate professionally led training workshops for our volunteers, to ensure you feel comfortable and confident with your role at the group with the Professional Facilitator.

Our promise to you

Our volunteers well being is very important to Anam Cara. Parents who take on this role with their local Anam Cara group will be supported by the Professional Facilitator. They will also be able to avail of of regular self care sessions/reflective practice sessions throughout the year

To find out more information about becoming an Anam Cara volunteer, please contact us at info@anamcara.ie or call Sharon on 087 9637790 or 01 4045378. We can give you more information about this role and about the Anam Cara groups.